Rosin-applicator.



C. G. SWEET.

BOSIN APPLIGATOR.

APPLIoA'rIoN Hmm JULY z8. 1910.

978,410. Patented Dec. 13, 1.910.

www@ aswggwm ATTORNEY C. Gr. SWEET.

ROSIN APPLIGATOB.

APPLICATION FILED JULYna, 1910.

978,410. Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

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CLIFFORD Gr. SWEET, F AURORA, ILLINOIS.

RosntAPrLI'eA'ron.

casale.

Specification of 'Letters Patent.

Application inea July' 2s, 1'910. serial No. 574,402.

, To all whom 'it may concern:

Aurora, in the county of Kane and of Illinois, have invented a new a'nduseful y Be it known that I, CLIFFORD G. Swn'r, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing` at tate Rosin-Applicator, of which' the following is aspecification.

This invention has reference to means for the application of rosiri tviolin and other like bows, and its object is to avoid the frictionincidentto the drawing of the hairs of the bow over a block of rosin inthe customary manner.

In accordance with the present invention, the rosin is employed in theform of a block, preferably a cylindrical block, mounted in a suitablesupport, preferably a protecting casing", which maybe opened toexposethe rosin, and closed to protect the rosin, and means are e thesurface of the rosin may be engaged by the hairs of the bow, but insteadof these hairs moving over the rosin surface while the latter isquiescent, the movement of the bow causes a like movement of the rosinblock where engaged by the bow, so that no friction is caused to anextent detrimental to the hairs of the bow, while means are,

also, provided whereby the movement of the` rosin block under theimpelling action of the bow causes a reduction of the surface of theblock to a powdery or dust-like form, and this surface so acted uponultimately reaches the hairs of the bow when the powdered or dust-likerosin is transmitted to the bow hairs in a form best adapted forimparting to the strings of the instrument to be played the tonequalities desired. The casing will, when closed, prevent any escape ofrosin powder or dust not transferred to the bow. e A

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings- Figure1 is a sectional elevation of a device embodying my invention showing itopen in full lines and by dotted lines indicating a portion of a bow incontact with the body of rosin and also by dotted lines showing theclosed position of the cover. Fig. 2 is a central transverse section ofthe device. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the scraper. Fig. 4is a detail plan view of a portion of the scraper showing more providedAwhereby clearly the arrangement of theabrading surfa'ce. Fig. 5 is alongitudinal section showing a different form of the invention. Fig. 6is al central transverse section of the de vice shewn in Fig. 5. Fig. 7is' a detail perspective view of the scraper illustrated in Figs. 'a'nd6, and Fig. 8` isa detail perspectiv'e view of the reinforcing plateupon which the said scraper rests.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2', I employ acasing which is illustrated as of a cylindrical form,` and consists oftwo side plates l which may be constru'cted of sheet metal or any otherpreferred material having the requisite durability, lightness andchcapness. These side plates 1 are preferably stamped outn with expandedportions 2 which will impart an ornamental appearance to the device andwill furnish convenient nieans for grasping the device between thefingers. The edges of the side plates are turned inward on themselves,as shown at 3, to provide smooth round surfaces which will avoid cuttingor otherwise injuring the operators fingers. The rounded edge portions 3serve as runways or guides for the outwardly flared side edges 4; of acover 5 which is of a semi-circularl form andis provided with aprojection4 (5` at about its center to facilitate its operation. Whenthe device is not in use, this cover 5 is moved around the guides orrunways 3 so as to extend over the upper open portion of the container,asindicated by dotted lines, but when the device is in use, the cover ismoved around the runways to slide beneath the semi-cylindrical portion 7of the holder, the edges S of which are engaged 4in grooved portions 9of the side platesand are secured therein by soldering or otherwise.This semi-cylindrical portion 7 has a bead 10 formed on one end whichwill project between the edges of the side plates and will present asmooth convex surface so that cutting of the hairs of the bow by contactwith the body of the container will be prevented. The bead l0 may bereinforced'by a pin l1 inserted through the same and the side plates, ifso desired, and this pin will also serve as a convenient means forfixedly securing the plate 7 between the side plates 1. At the end ofthe plate7 opposite the bead 10 an overhang-ing lip l2 is providedwhich, like the bead 10, serves to guard against cutting of the hairs ofthe bow and also serves as a convenient means ratnted Dec. 13, 1910. A

for supporting the scraper 13. This scraper 13 is in the form of a crossplate having a lip 14 at one end engaging' in the overhang` ing bead orlip 12 and having one end free and corrugated, as indicated at 15. Theupper surface of this corrugated portion 15 is roughened or providedwith abradingpoints or teeth 16, of any convenient or preferred form,and the abraded extremity of the plate 13 is held against the body ofrosin by a spring 16 secured to the under side of the scraper andbearing against the inner face of the plate 7 of the container.

The rosin 17 is formed into a cylindrical body or roller between twocheek plates 18 and is journaled or pivoted between the side plates 1 ofthe container by means of male and female screws or bolts 19, 20,inserted centrally through the said side plates, the cheek plates, andthe body of rosin, as

\ clearly shown in Fig. 2. The rosin may be secured between the cheekplates 18 in any convenient or preferred manner, and a siniple method ofaccomplishing this result is to melt the rosin and pour it between thecheek plates while the same are held within a suitable mold with a plugor core extending centrally through the cheek plates so that a centralopening will be formed in the body of rosin to receive the bolts 19 and20 when the rosin is to be fitted within the container.

Vhile in Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown the container or holder as of acylindrical or circular formation, it may be of any preferredconstruction, and in Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a form of containerconsisting of a substantially rectangular box 21 having a lid 22 hingedthereto and provided. with a spring catch 23 adapted to engage a socketin the side of the box to hold the cover or lid. normally in its closedposition. The

rosin in this arrangement is provided in thev forni of acylindricalblock or roller 17 between cheek plates 18, as before described, and ispivotally mounted in the sides of the box 21 by the bolts-19 and 20,exactly as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and described in connection therewith.In both constructions the cheek plates 18 extend beyond the periphery ofthe rosin block and serve as guides for the bow hair.

The employment of the rectangular box permits the use of a scraper of adifferent form from that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, and such scraper,as shown, consists of a plate 24 provided at its center with a pluralityof projections or teeth 25 adapted to bear against the under portion ofthe edge of the rosin body, as in Figs. 5 and 6. The ends of thisscraper plate 24 are provided with notches 26 which fit over pins 27rising from the bottom of the box and serving as guides to preventexcessive lateral movement of the scraper. In order to reinforce thescraper, a base or supporting plate 28 is provided, and this supportingplate 28 is liliewise provided with notches 2) in its ends engaging theguide-pins 27, as shown. Springs 30 are coiled around the guide pinsbetween the bottom of the box and the under side of the presser plate,and, by their ex` pansion, serve to hold the scraper against the edge ofthe body of rosin and thereby form powder on its surface, as will bereadily understood.

To use the device the cover is opened, and then the bow is drawn acrossthe cylinder or block of rosin between the edges of the cheek plates, inthe same manner that it is customary to draw a bow across a block ofrosin ordinarily held in the hand of the user. The contact of the bowhairs with the rosin causes the latter to rotate within the holder orcontainer and the scraper engaging the periphery of the rosin blockreduces the same to a powdery or dust-like form, sutliciently adherentto the block to be carried by the same until ultimately it reaches thehairs of the bow and is transmitted thereto by the pressure necessary tocause a rotative movement of the rosin block.

The transfer 'of rosin from a block by the movement of the hairs of thebow over the same while the block remains quiescent results in theproduction of a rosin surface on the bow hairs which is liable toproduce vimproper tones. This condition is entirely avoided by theapplication of the rosin in the powdered or dust-lilre form to the hairsof the bow, which by the present invention is accomplished without wasteof rosin or liability of scattering the rosin powder, while theoperation, so far as the user is concerned, is the same as that withwhich violinists are familiar. Furthermore, since the rosin cylinderrotates when the bow is drawn across the same, injury to the hair of thebow either because of the friction engendered or because of the catchingof the hair on some obstruction, is entirely avoided.

The device is in practice capable of so cheap a construction that afterthe first outlay by the purchaser the old cheek plates and remains ofthe rosin cylinder may be discarded and a new cylinder with its cheekplates may be installed in the holder at a trifling cost,

The scraper is of a width to so lit between t-he cheek plates that itwill readily follow the surface of the cylindrical block ofrosin as thecreases while it acts on the entire surface of a rosin block, so thatthe wearing of the latter into grooves and the chipping away of thebrittle rosin, which is a common annoyance with the rosin blocks usuallyemployed, is avoided, for with the present invention the rosin will wearevenly throughout.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to et, the scraper is indicated as slightlycurved to conform to the surface of the rosin block, and in the formshown in Figs. 5 to S the scraper may be made of a light flexiblematerial which may be bent slightly, if desired, to conform to thesurface of the rosin block. In either case the elastic pressure exertedagainst the scraper causes it to remain in contact with the rosin block,as the latter wears away.

The structures shown in the drawings are well adapted for the purposesof the present invention, but it will be understood that the inventionis not confined to such structures, the showing being in a measureindicative, and it will be further understood that various changes andmodifications may be 'made in the structure shown so long as the salientfeatures of the invention are retained.

`What is claimed is 1. A rosin applicator designed to carry a block ofrosin and provided with rosin engaging means for reducing the surface ofthe rosin to a `powder or dust-like form prior to reaching the hairs ofa bow impelling the rosin block.

2. A rosin applicator provided-with a block of rosin movable with thehairs of a bow where engaged thereby at substantially the same surfacespeed, and means rendered active by the movement of the rosin block forconverting the surface thereof into a powdery or dust-like form prior tothe engagement therewith of the hairs of the bow.

3. A rosin applicator provided with a rotatable block of rosinresponsive to a movement of a bow thereover to attain a surface speedsubstantially the same as the speed of movement of the hairs of the bow,and means for preparing the surface of the rosin block where engaged bythe bow for transfer thereof to the hairs of the latter, said meansacting on the surface of the rosin block before reaching the hairs ofthe bow.

l. A rosin applicator comprising a rosin block rotatably responsive tothe action of a traveling bow thereon, and means in constant operativerelation to the rosin block for preparing the surface of the latter fortransfer to the hairs of the bow.

5. A rosin applicator' comprising a rotatable rosin block responsive tothe action of a bow thereon to attain substantially the same surfacespeed as the speed of travel of the bow, and a scraper for engagementwith the rosin block and adapted to act thereon during the movement ofthe block for preparing the surface of the block for transfer to thehairs of the bow.

6. A rosin applicator comprising a rotatable rosin block responsive tothe action of a bow thereon to attain substantially the same surfacespeed as the speed of travel of the bow, a sc 'aper, and impelling meansfor the scraper imparting thereto a normal tendency to remain inengagement with the rosin block and adapted to act thereon during themovement of the block for preparing the surface of said block fortransfer to the hairs of the bow.

7 A rosin applicator comprising a holder, a rotatable block of rosintherein, and a scraper housed in the holder in operative relation to therosin block.

8. An applicator for rosin comprising a holder, a block of rosinrotatably mounted therein, a scraper in the holder in operative relationto the surface of the rosin, and means within the holder for maintainingthe scraper in contact with the rosin.

9. An applicator for rosin comprising a holder, a block of rosinrotatably mounted therein, a scraper in operative relation to the rosin,and an elastic impelling means within the holder acting upon the scraperto maintain the same in contact with the rosin.

10. A rosin applicator comprising a suitable holder, a rosin blockprovided with cheek plates and rotatably mounted within the holder, anda scraper in the holder bearing upon the rosin between the cheek plates.

11. The combination of a holder, a block of rosin rotatably mountedtherein, guide pins within the holder, a scraper on said guide pins, andsprings on the guide pins engaging the scraper to hold the same againstthe rosin.

l2. The combination of a holder, a block of rosin rotatably mountedtherein, guide pins rising from the base of the holder, a scraper onsaid guide pins, a base plate on said pins and supporting the scraper,and springs surrounding the pins between the holder and the base plate.

13; The combination of a holder, a block of rosin rotatably mountedtherein, spaced guide pins in the holder, a scraper consisting of aplate having notches at its ends transverse to said guide pins andprovided at its central portion with scraping projections, and springson the pins acting on the scraper to hold the teeth thereon against theblock of rosin.

14. The combination of a holder, a block of rosin rotatably mountedtherein, a scraper within the holder in operative relation to the blockof rosin, and a spring bearing against the holder and acting on thescraper to maintain the same against the block of rosin.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoatlixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLIFFORD Gr. SWEET.

Witnesses G. F. ORCU'r'r, G. H. BRIDGES.

